Furnace



pri E?, 1934*, E, W BALLENTNE 1,955,483

FURNACE Filed Feb. 25, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l Apr im w34., E, w. BALLENTINE 1,955,483

FURNAGE Filed Feb. 25, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tzva fly/MZ? pr i7, 1934. E. W. BALLENTINE 1,955,483

FURNACE Filed Feb. 25. 1933 4 SheetsLSheet 3V PI' 179 1934 E. w. BALLENTaNE l,955,483

FURNACE Filed Feb. 25, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fly 7 Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE FUBNACE tion of Illinois Application February 25, 1933, Serial No. 658,622

This invention relates to improvements in furnaces and, more especially, warm air furnaces. The principal feature of the invention is the provision of a furnace equipped with a fan to force or aid the circulation of air therethrough.

To this end, my improved furnace includes a casing with an air inlet, a radiator inside of the casing and spaced therefrom, and a fan inside of the casing opposite the air inlet with the blades arranged to draw air into the casing through the air inlet and discharge it substantially radially into the space between the radiator and the casing. This discharge causes a substantially uniform issuance of air at the top of the casing around the edge of the bonnet. Heretofore, in 'using fans or blowers in warm air furnaces of the type shown herein, it has been difficult or impossible to procure a substantially uniform discharge of air into the various headers, leaders, or ducts connected to the bonnet of the furnace casing. By using my invention I have been able to lessen or overcome this objection.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my speci- 2 fication.

A device embodying the features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which- .,0 Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation; Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a view taken as indicated by the line 3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a view taken as indicated by the line 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View showing the radial discharge of air from the fan; Fig. 6 is a View in side elevation of the fan itself; Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic View taken as indicated by the line 7 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view taken as indicated by the line 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View taken as indicated by the line 9 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a view taken as indicated by the line 10 of Fig. '7.

Throughout the figures, the arrows are used to indicate or suggest the direction of ow of air currents from the fan.

As shown in the drawings, the furnace includes a substantially cylindrical casing 10 with the usual bonnet 11 into which are connected the r usual ducts, leaders or headers, indicated by 12, "0 12, and here shown as four in number.

Inside of the furnace is provided the usual radiator 13 spaced from the casing. 13' may indicate the ashpit connection and 13b, the feed door connection.

At the rear, the casing 10 is provided with a circular air inlet 14.

Attached to the casing or otherwise supported is a plate l5 with a spider 16 carrying a bearing 17 in which is rotatably supported the shaft 18 on 60 the inner end of which is a fan 19 lying inside of the casing opposite the air inlet in the space between the casing 10 and the radiator 13. There is an inlet 14 in the plate 15 somewhat smaller than the greatest diameter of the fan so that the fan blades 19b overlap the inlet 15 somewhat. Where this overlap occurs, the edges of the blades l19b are made straight, as indicated by 19, and

lie very close to the plate 15 (see Fig. 4). Any suitable means may be provided for driving the fan, as, for example, the belt wheel 20 cn the shaft 18 driven by the belt 21 from the motor 22. The spider 16, motor and belt may be suitably housed in a rectangular box 23. the outer surface of which may be covered by a suitable lter 24, if desired. I shall now describe the particular construction of the fan itself. This fan is provided with a substantially conical deflecting core 19l on which are mounted four substantially spirally curved tapered blades 19h. The direction of rotation of the fan is counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3. As has been stated, the blades 19b are tapered and spirally curved. The leading end of each blade is narrower and closer to the center S5 of the core than the trailing end. Because of the particular construction of the fan blades and their mounting on the substantially conical deecting core 19B, the air discharged from the fan is substantially radial, as best shown by the arrows in Fig. 8. 'Ihis radial discharge in the space between the casing and the casting or radiator causes some of the air to travel around the casing in more or less of a horizontal direction before it issues from the casing upwardly into the 9.', bonnet. This horizontal travel is shown somewhat diagrammatically in Figs. 7 and 10. It will be noted, also, from Fig. 8 that the radial discharge downwardly from the fan strikes the floor and is caused to travel horizontally around the 10c casing. There is thus furnished a Supply of air to the sides and front of the casing. These air currents after meeting in the front of the casing, as shown in Fig. 9, are caused to move upwardly so that there will be a discharge of air upwardly in the front of the casing as well as at the back and sides. As a result of the construction shown, the discharge from the casing upwardly into the bonnet throughout its periphery is substantially uniform at all points. There will thus be furnished a substantially uniform discharge of air into all of the pipes or leaders 12, 12, wherever they may be located at the periphery of the bonnet.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

'1. A furnace, including; a casing with an air inlet adjacent the bottom; a radiator inside oi.' the casing and spaced therefrom around its sides, to form an air passage between the sides of the radiator and the casing, said air passage being closed under the radiator; and a fan inside of the casing opposite the air inlet to one side of the radiator, said fan having its axis substantially horizontal and substantially in line with the center of the air inlet and provided with blades arranged to draw air into the casing through the air inlet and discharge it substantially radially of its axis into the space between the radiator and the casing.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the blades oi the fan are mounted on a substantially conical defiecting core, the axis of said core being substantially coincident with the axis of the fan and the apex thereof pointing toward the air inlet.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the blades of the fan are tapered and mounted on a substantially conical deecting core, the axis of said core being substantially coincident with the axis of the fan and the apex thereof pointing toward the air inlet.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the blades of the fan are spirally curved and mounted on a substantially conical deecting core, the axis of said core being substantially coincident with the axis of the fan and the apex thereof pointing toward the air inlet.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the blades of the fan are spirally curved and tapered and mounted on a substantially conical deflecting core, the axis of said core being substantially coincident with the axis of the fan and the apex thereof pointing toward the air inlet.

EARLE W. BALLENTINE. 

